


Moonshine

by lorcaswhisky (aristofranes)



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Gen, Kat is a huge nerd, Partial Nudity, Philippa is wise and mischievous and also a huge nerd, Philippa would defeat Gabriel in every universe including some we haven't even found yet, Prime Gabriel is a huge nerd, Starfleet Academy, just endless pining basically, never mind slow burn Kat and Gabriel can't even find the matches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 23:25:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aristofranes/pseuds/lorcaswhisky
Summary: “Problem?” asked Philippa, sweetly.Gabriel sized up Philippa, his eyes flicking to the bottle of mystery liquor, before he made the same mistake that everyone always made.“No,” he said, folding his arms, jaw squared. “No problem.”Kat and Gabriel are useless, and Philippa decides to give them a little push.





	Moonshine

It was supposed to be a quiet evening. And, to be fair, it had started out that way. Notes strewn across the big table in the communal kitchen that Kat shared with five other cadets, she and Gabriel were the picture of intellectual endeavour. 

If anyone were to study that picture more closely, however, it would have become obvious that the only thing either of them was actually paying any attention to was the other.

Philippa, who  _ was _ studying them from over the top of a PADD, her feet on the table, was fed up. She had been witness to this particular charade for the last two months, ever since the handsome young cadet with the disarming smile had turned up in their Interspecies Ethics class. When Kat had casually dropped into conversation that she had invited Gabriel over to ‘study' that evening, Philippa had hoped that the end might at last be in sight, until she learned not only that Kat really  _ was _ inviting him over to study, but that Philippa was also expected to be in attendance, lecture notes in hand.

Well. Desperate times, and all that.

“How about a game?” she said at last, setting aside the PADD. 

Kat looked dubious. 

“What sort of game?”

“An  _ educational _ game, obviously,” replied Philippa innocently. “Wait here.”

She hurried down the corridor to her own room, rummaging through the bottom her wardrobe before finding what she was looking for. 

The end justified the means.

Back in the kitchen, where the pair were still courageously pretending to read exactly the same paragraphs they had been pretending to read all evening, Philippa set the bottle down on the table with a  _ clink. _

“A quiz,” she said simply. 

Gabriel shrugged.

“Doesn't sound like much of a game to me.”

“A quiz with forfeits.”

That piqued his interest, Philippa noticed. Typical Security major. Couldn't resist a competition.

“If you get the answer right, I drink,” continued Philippa. “If you get it wrong, you drink.”

“I—” began Kat.

“As quizmaster, I have final say over whether an answer is correct or incorrect. There are no passes, and no appeals.”

“But—” started Gabriel.

“Problem?” asked Philippa, sweetly.

Gabriel sized up Philippa, his eyes flicking to the bottle of mystery liquor, before he made the same mistake that everyone always made. 

“No,” he said, folding his arms, jaw squared. “No problem.”

*

It turned out to be a very big problem indeed. 

"Wait, wait, wait, that's not fair!" complained Kat.

"Do not question the quizmaster! You know the penalty.” Philippa, who had long since grown bored of waiting for the increasingly drunk duo to actually get an answer right, downed her own glass with a flourish. 

Kat sighed, pouring two fingers of the mystery booze, bottles of which seemed to be miraculously reappearing as fast as they could drink them. 

"I'll do it," Gabriel, by far the furthest gone of the trio, leaned across unsteadily to put his hand over the top of Kat's glass, preventing her from drinking. "Imma lost cause anyway."

"This is no time to play the hero—" began Kat in mock horror. Gabriel shook his head insistently.

"I'll only slow you down, jus’ go on without me." 

"No-one on this team gets left behind!" 

Gabriel's fingers brushed against Kat's.

Their faces were very close together.

There was a pause.

Gabriel snatched away the glass, draining it before Kat could object.

“Agggggggggggggghhh,” he rasped, shaking his head rapidly to try and dissipate the burning sensation in his throat.

“Question for Gabriel!” snapped Philippa. 

“Hit me,” said Gabriel, slapping the table.

“What are your intentions towards Katrina?”

There was a very long silence, in which Kat and Gabriel tried to look anywhere but at eachother.

“You don't have to answer that,” said Kat hoarsely, glaring at Philippa. 

“Yes, he does. No passes. No appeals.”

Gabriel cleared his throat. 

“This is one of those things where whatever I say’s wrong, right?”

“Given the state of your score sheet? Probably,” shrugged Philippa. 

“In that case...” he took a deep breath, choosing his words as carefully as the alcohol allowed, no small feat given how violently his head was spinning . “M’intentions’re ... whatever Kat wants. Right now, that's studying.”

Philippa surveyed him critically. 

“That is a surprisingly good answer,” she said at last, pulling the bottle towards her and pouring a generous measure. She raised her glass in salute. “Well done.”

Kat could her face burning with embarrassment as Philippa emptied her glass in one swift motion. 

“Well - that is the end of the quiz,” Philippa announced grandly, “And now, I shall leave you two to your ... studying.” 

She beamed at a mortified Kat, and swept out of the room.

No sooner had the door clicked shut than Gabriel slumped forward, the effort of holding himself together finally too much.

“Thank god,” he mumbled, head in hands. “I thought she'd never stop. What  _ is _ that stuff?” 

“Honestly, I have no idea,” replied Kat briskly, crossing the room to pour the remainder of the bottle down the sink, glad for the distraction and the excuse to put some distance between them. “Philippa likes to experiment. It's probably best not to ask.”

“I feel like I'm gonna die. Why don't you feel like you're gonna die?” Gabriel practically wailed.

“Practice.” 

“S'not fair.”

Gabriel tried, unsuccessfully, to stand up.

“Oh no. Oh nonono...” he muttered, swaying dangerously as he gripped the edge of the table.

“It's alright, it's alright, let's get you to bed and you can sleep this off...” 

“I've got survival training in the morning!” Gabriel squinted at his chronometer. “It  _ is _ the morning!”

“You'll be fine,” said Kat, suppressing the memory of her first attempt at drinking with Philippa, an event which could only be classed as a near-death experience.

“I'm gonna die!”

“Well, that would be ironic.”

“Yeah, because ...  _ survival _ training...” Gabriel was suddenly overcome with a fit of giggles, lost his hold on the table and his footing with it, and would have ended up on the floor if Kat hadn't grabbed him somewhat unceremoniously. After a bit of difficulty focusing, Gabriel's eyes met Kat's. 

Their faces were very close together.

There was a pause.

“Kat?” said Gabriel, very quietly. 

Kat swallowed.

“Yes?”

“... I don't feel ver’ well.”

“Right,” said Kat, business-like. “ _ Bed _ .” She hoisted his arm over her shoulder and half-marched, half-dragged him down the corridor to her room.

“You weigh a tonne,” she grumbled.

“S'all muscle,” Gabriel slurred proudly. 

“Well, how about using some of it and helping me out here?” said Kat through gritted teeth, her knees nearly buckling under his weight as she fumbled with the keycode on the door. 

Once inside, Gabriel peered around suspiciously, tottering on unsteady legs as Kat switched on the lights.

“This isn't my room.”

“Very observant . It's my room. You'll never make it back to yours in one piece.”

“S'nice.” He sniffed. “Smells nice.”

“Thank you.”

“You smell nice too.”

“Wow, she really has broken you, hasn't she?” said Kat, pouring him a glass of water. “Look, just make yourself comf—what are you  _ doing _ ?”

Gabriel was curled up on the floor under her desk, pulling his jacket around him as a makeshift blanket.

“This is good,” he murmured.

“Don't be ridiculous, this isn't survival class. Get in the bed.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. Or tried to, at least, which as far as he was concerned was almost as good.

“You haven't even bought me dinner,” he said mischievously.

“And I don't need to. I'll share with Philippa tonight.”

“Oh. Right.” If Gabriel was disappointed, he didn't show it; although it was hard to tell, given that he tried to get up too quickly and thumped his head on the underside of the table. 

“Nnnggggh,” he managed, accepting Kat's arm and allowing her to pull him upright.

“Boots off,” ordered Kat, depositing him on the bed. Gabriel flailed about, eventually succeeding in kicking them off, and slumped back, exhausted, his legs hanging over the edge of the bed. 

“And you might want to ... um...” Kat stammered, feeling a blush rise as she indicated the rest of his uniform. “Its just ... if experience with Philippa's moonshine has taught me anything, it's that you're going to get  _ very _ warm quite soon, is all.”

Gabriel looked alarmed.

“You  _ definitely _ need to buy me dinner,” he muttered. He wrestled his shirt off over his head, getting briefly entangled in the process and - oh  _ god _ , he really was all muscle. Kat hastily averted her eyes, certain her face was entirely pink at this point.

“I - I’ll leave you to it,” she said quickly, turning to leave the room as swiftly as possible.

“Night night,” said Gabriel sleepily, as she switched off the light.

Kat padded down the hallway and tapped on Philippa's door.

“Forget something?” asked Philippa, a wicked smile playing around her lips.

“What? No, I—"

“It's no problem, I've got plenty—"

“ _ No _ – listen, can I bunk in with you tonight?”

Philippa's face fell.

“Where is he?”

“In my bed.  _ Sleeping _ ,” Kat added, before Philippa could interject. Philippa looked amused.

“There's a very handsome - and presumably halfway-naked - man in your bed,” she said, grinning, “and you want to stay with me instead?”

“There's a _very_ _drunk_ man in my bed,” said Kat accusingly. Philippa noticed she didn't bother to correct her on the other two points. 

“ _ Fine _ ,” Philippa sighed, stepping to one side so that Kat could come in. 

Ignoring Philippa's call of “I've seen it all before!”, Kat ducked into the bathroom to change into a set of Starfleet standard issue pyjamas. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Philippa, of course, managed to look effortlessly chic even in her own identical set. She peered at Kat over the top of the book she had been reading, apparently unaffected by the enormous amount of alcohol she had just imbibed. 

“I approve,” she said eventually, setting aside her book and shuffling over to make room for Kat.

“Of what?” yawned Kat.

“Of him. Of you. Of you and him. You have my approval.”

“There is no ‘me and him’ for you to approve—”

“Mm-hmm.”

“And anyway, even if there was, you've probably scared him off. He'll never be the same again.”

“It's character building.” Philippa stretched. “And don't worry, he'll be back. I saw how he looks at you when you're not watching.”

“I’m not listening.”

“And how you look at him—”

“Good _ night _ , Philippa.”

*

Kat opened the door of her room a fraction.

“Hello? Gabriel?” she whispered, slightly worried about what she'd find. 

A soft snore replied to her greeting. Well, he had survived the night at least. Face down in the pillow, one arm splayed against the wall and the other flopped over the edge of the bed, he was far from a dignified specimen, but still alive. 

And  _ extremely _ nude. 

Kat prodded him at arm’s length, resolutely refusing to let her gaze drop any lower than his left ear. 

“Gabriel.  _ Gabriel. _ ”

“Hgggghh?” 

“You need to get up.”

His reply was muffled by the pillow, but it was emphatic.

“You’ll be late for class. You’ll make  _ me  _ late for class. Get  _ up _ ,” insisted Kat, leaning in and prodding him more insistently now.

Gabriel’s head jerked up. 

“Where am I?” he croaked, his own tongue feeling unfamiliar in his mouth.

“My room.”

“Your—"

Gabriel’s eyes opened wide. He looked down, taking in his own state of undress, and snatched at the duvet in a vain attempt to regain some sense of decorum. 

“Did … did we..?” 

“No! No, we didn't. Definitely not,” said Kat hastily. Gabriel heaved a sigh of relief.

“Good. That’s good. I mean—” he caught her expression and stammered, the tips of his ears turning pink, “I don’t mean - it’s not – it’s not good that  _ we _ didn’t, just good that … we didn’t … like  _ that _ .”

“I didn’t even buy you dinner,” Kat managed, more coolly than she felt. 

Gabriel grinned, relieved. 

“You asking me on a date?” he asked.

“For  _ dinner _ ,” replied Kat flatly. “You saying yes?”

“Depends. No moonshine?”

“Deal. More clothes?”

“Now, that’ll have to be negotiable.”

Their faces were very close together. 

There was a pause. 

“Did you mean what you said? Last night?” asked Kat.

“About being able to outrun a Kelpien? Might’ve been an exaggeration—"

“No, about...”

“I’d give it a good shot though—”

“ _ Gabriel _ .”

Gabriel looked at her, and felt his breath catch in his throat.

“Whatever you want,” he said simply. 

Kat smiled.

Their faces were  _ very _ close together.

There was a pause.

Gabriel’s expression turned ashen.

“Bathroom?” he yelped, scrambling to his feet, all modesty thrown to the wind.

“On the right!”

*

 

_ 3 years later. _

__

Philippa, curled up in an armchair, looked up as the common room door opened. Gabriel nodded to her curtly.

“You're up early,” he muttered.

“And you're back late. So?” Philippa asked, snapping shut her book and springing to her feet.

Gabriel shrugged off his overcoat.

“So what?” he grunted.

“How did it go?”

Gabriel didn’t answer, but the set of his jaw told Philippa everything she needed to know.

“You didn’t tell her, did you,” she sighed. It wasn’t a question.

“Nothin’ to tell.”

“You take her for a romantic walk in the moonshine, a picnic under the Perseids - and there’s nothing to tell?” said Philippa, exasperated.

“No. There’s not.”

“She leaves in three days, Gabriel.”

“I  _ know _ !” Gabriel snarled. His fists clenched and he turned away from her sharply, breathing deeply, trying to recover his composure.

“This thing. Us. As far as I'm concerned, it’s whatever Kat wants,” he managed at last. “Always has been.”

“And what about you?” asked Philippa softly. “What do  _ you _  want?”

“This is her big chance,” he shrugged, hoping that he had disguised the break in his voice. “I’m not asking her to throw that away.”

“You’re ignoring the question.”

“The question is irrelevant.”

“Your  _ happiness _  is not irrelevant!” Philippa’s frustration was palpable now. “If you’re not going to tell her, I will—”

“Don’t you  _ dare _ .” Gabriel bristled, squaring up to her. “You think I want her to leave? You think I  _ want _  to be a half-universe away from her?”

“So  _ tell her. _ ”

“Why? What would it achieve? Maybe she doesn’t feel the same way. Well, that’s fine, it’s just my pride gets dented. Maybe she does - then what? You want her to turn her back on a chance at her dream career just so she can stay with some guy who's on track to become a glorified security guard?”

“You’re not a—”

“I’m not doing it,” he said flatly. “Putting her in that position. I won’t. It's not fair.”

“But the two of you—”

“Have our own paths to follow.”

Reluctantly, Philippa relented.

“You’re an idiot,” she said, shaking her head sadly.

Gabriel sank wearily into a chair, running a hand through his already dishevelled hair. His usual mask of bravado had slipped. Philippa had never seen him look so utterly forlorn. 

“Tell me something I don't know.”

Philippa considered him for a moment, before rummaging in her shoulder bag.

“This was supposed to be for a celebration,” she said, pulling out the bottle of whiskey she had stashed there. “But you look like you could use it.”

Gabriel smiled sadly as she produced a pair of carefully-wrapped glass tumblers.

“It's 6 in the morning,” he rebuked her, his heart not really in it.

“Desperate times,” shrugged Philippa. 

“I’ve made this mistake before. Drinking with you,” Gabriel said, pouring them both a large measure. “Never seem to learn.”

“It never gets old, I can assure you.”

Gabriel raised his glass.

“What’re we toasting?” asked Philippa, doing likewise.

“To Kat,” Gabriel said.

Philippa smiled.

“To Kat.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was honestly just supposed to be a bit of silly fluff, and then I got sad thinking about how Gabriel was terrified of getting in the way of Kat's ambitions, and how Kat probably never thought Gabriel was serious, and how these two idiots would never tell eachother how they actually felt. So that ending happened. Sorry, but if I'm going down I'm taking you lot with me.


End file.
